Bathroom vanity cabinets are a common feature of modern bathrooms. Often, these cabinets have to deal with the problems associated with plumbing contained inside the cabinet. The purpose of the bathroom vanity cabinet is to hold a bathroom sink and cover the associated plumbing, while providing an enclosure for holding various items and articles.
A typical bathroom vanity cabinet 210 is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. This cabinet 210 is comprised of a base 224, a pair of side walls 218, a back wall 232, a sink wall 220, a cabinet door 222, and a counter 212. The pair of side walls 218 are joined to the back wall 232 to form the sides and back of the vanity cabinet 210. The side walls 218 have inset notches cut into the lower front corners which connect to a base board 238. Base 224 is formed when the cabinet floor 234 is joined to the base board 238, the side walls 218 and the back wall 232. The base 224 of the cabinet 210 is inset to allow the user's feet to fit under the cabinet 210 when the user uses the sink 216.
Above the notch in one of the side walls 218, the cabinet door 222 is attached by hinges. When the door 222 is closed, it latches to the other side wall 218. The door 222 has a handle 221 attached to aid the user in opening and closing the door 222. Above the door 222, is the sink wall 220, which is joined to the pair of side walls 218 and completes the walls of the cabinet 210. Attached to the tops of the walls of the cabinet 210 is the counter 212. The counter 212 is attached by screws or adhesive and has a recess for holding a sink 216. The counter 212 is designed to hold bathroom articles or items when they are in use. At the back of the counter 212 is a "back-splash" 214 which protects the surrounding walls of the bathroom against splashes from the sink 216.
Referring to the cut-away view of FIG. 10, the enclosure 236 is formed by the cabinet floor 234, the pair of side walls 218, the back wall 232, the counter 212, and the sink wall 220. Access to the enclosure 236 is through the door 222. The enclosure 236 covers from view the plumbing associated with the sink 216. A sink bottom 225 is covered from view by the sink wall 220. Attached to the sink bottom 225 is a connector 226 connected to a pipe 228. The pipe 228 connects to an "S" joint 230, which connects to another pipe 231, which in turn connects to a drain in the bathroom.
The cut-away of FIG. 10 shows that a large amount of space is taken up by the plumbing in the enclosure 236. Only small articles can be placed under and to the sides of the "S" joint 230. Due to the obstruction of space and the general unaesthetic appearance of the plumbing housed in the enclosure 236, it is often the case that the enclosure 236 is not used for storage. This results in a considerable waste of storage space.
Further, due to the moist environment and the possibility of leaks from the plumbing, articles and items susceptible to water damage are not placed in the enclosure 236. This limits the utility of the cabinet 210, because needed supplies or articles have to be stored in less convenient areas.